State to consider 6 conditions to treat with medical pot

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The state medical board is reviewing six additional conditions that can be treated with medical marijuana use in Ohio, including autism and chronic anxiety.

Cannabis products are becoming available in Ohio dispensaries over the next few months following delays in rolling out the program last year.

Patients need a physician's recommendation to buy medical marijuana from such dispensaries to treat allowable conditions, which currently include AIDS, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, cancer, epilepsy and several other maladies.

The medical board on Wednesday reviewed petitions for adding several new conditions and settled on six, which also include general anxiety disorder, depression, insomnia, and opioid addiction.

Experts will review these conditions for possible inclusion on the list of allowable treatments. A final decision comes within six months.